Buxus plant named ‘Bulthouse’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Buxus plant named ‘Bulthouse’, characterized by its upright, mounded and uniform plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit and relatively fast growth rate; emerald green-colored leaves; and good winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Buxus microphylla var. koreana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BULTHOUSE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Buxus plant, commercially produced as an ornamental shrub, botanically known as Buxus microphylla var. koreana and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bulthouse’.

The new Buxus plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Buxus microphylla var. koreana ‘Winter Gem’, not patented. The new Buxus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single plant of ‘Winter Gem’ in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Norton Shores, Mich. in July, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Buxus plant by hardwood cuttings in a controlled nursery environment in Norton Shores, Mich. since November, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Buxus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Buxus have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bulthouse’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bulthouse’ as a new and distinct Buxus plant:

-   -   1. Upright, mounded and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit and relatively fast growth rate.     -   4. Emerald green-colored leaves.     -   5. Good winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Buxus differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘Winter Gem’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buxus are more upright than plants of         ‘Winter Gem’.     -   2. Plants of the new Buxus grow faster than plants of ‘Winter         Gem’.     -   3. Plants of the new Buxus do not produce flowers whereas plants         of ‘Winter Gem’ produce flowers.

Plants of the new Buxus can be compared to plants of Buxus microphylla var. koreana×Buxus sempervirens ‘Green Gem’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Buxus differed from plants of ‘Green Gem’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buxus were more upright than plants of         ‘Green Gem’.     -   2. Plants of the new Buxus grew faster than plants of ‘Green         Gem’.     -   3. Plants of the new Buxus did not produce flowers whereas         plants of ‘Green Gem’ produced flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Buxus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Buxus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Bulthouse’ grown in an container. po The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical plant of ‘Bulthouse’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in one-gallon containers during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Buxus microphylla var. koreana     ‘Bulthouse’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Buxus microphylla     var. koreana ‘Winter Gem’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By hardwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one month at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one year at 25°             C.         -   Root description.—Thick and fine; cream and brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Evergreen shrub with upright,             mounding and uniform plant habit; freely branching habit,             about numerous lateral branches developing per plant; dense             and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit and relatively             rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 24 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 20 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly elliptic to obovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse; occasionally slightly retuse.         -   Base.—Obtuse to cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Rugose, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 132A; venation,             close to 132A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146C; venation, close to 146C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 146B. -   Flower description: Flower initiation and development has not been     observed on plants of the new Buxus. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Buxus have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Buxus. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Buxus have been observed to     tolerate high temperatures of about 30° C. and to be hardy to USDA     Hardiness Zone 5. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Buxus plant named ‘Bulthouse’ as illustrated and described. 